Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'shrink'

English Word: shrink

Key Russian Translations:

• сокращать [səkrəˈʃatʲ] - [Formal, used for intentional reduction]
• уменьшаться [uˈmʲenʲʃat͡sə] - [Informal, used for natural or passive shrinking]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday language, especially in contexts like economics or clothing)

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (Requires understanding of verb conjugations; for 'сокращать', it's straightforward, but 'уменьшаться' may vary by context)

Pronunciation (Russian):

сокращать: [səkrəˈʃatʲ]

Note on сокращать: The stress falls on the third syllable; be mindful of the soft 'т' sound, which can be challenging for beginners.

уменьшаться: [uˈmʲenʲʃat͡sə]

Note on уменьшаться: The 'ш' sound is palatalized; it often reflects reflexive verbs in Russian.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To become smaller in size or amount (e.g., physical shrinking).

Translation(s) & Context:

• уменьшаться - Used in informal, everyday contexts, such as describing fabric or objects that naturally contract.
• сокращать - Applied in formal or deliberate scenarios, like reducing quantities in business or science.

Usage Examples:

• Эта ткань может уменьшаться после стирки в горячей воде.

  This fabric may shrink after washing in hot water.

• Компания решила сократить расходы, чтобы выжить в кризисе.

  The company decided to shrink expenses to survive the crisis.

• В жару пластик начинает уменьшаться и деформироваться.

  In the heat, plastic starts to shrink and deform.

• Правительство планирует сократить бюджет на образование.

  The government plans to shrink the education budget.

2. As a noun, referring to a psychologist or therapist (informal English slang).

Translation(s) & Context:

• психотерапевт - Used in professional or formal medical contexts.
• психолог - More general, informal equivalent for a mental health professional.

Usage Examples:

• Я хожу к психотерапевту, чтобы обсудить свои проблемы.

  I go to my shrink to discuss my issues.

• Его психолог помог ему справиться со стрессом.

  His shrink helped him deal with stress.

• В этой клинике работают отличные психотерапевты.

  This clinic has great shrinks.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'сокращать' (verb, first conjugation), it follows regular patterns with infinitive, past, present, and future tenses. It is a transitive verb and can be reflexive as 'сокращаться'.

For 'уменьшаться' (reflexive verb), it is intransitive and conjugates similarly but with the reflexive particle '-ся'. It does not change in form across genders in the infinitive but varies in past tense.

'психотерапевт' (noun, masculine) is invariable in plural as 'психотерапевты' and follows standard declension for nominative, genitive, etc., but has no significant irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: уменьшать (similar to shrink in size), сжимать (for physical compression) - Note: 'уменьшать' is more general and often interchangeable in casual speech.
• Antonyms: увеличивать (to enlarge or increase), расширять (to expand)

Related Phrases:

• Сокращение расходов - A common phrase meaning "shrinking of expenses," often used in financial discussions.
• Уменьшение объёма - Refers to "shrinking of volume," as in physics or economics.
• Психотерапевт на час - An informal phrase for "shrink on the hour," implying quick therapy sessions.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'сокращать' precisely corresponds to the active form of 'shrink' in English, such as in business contexts, while 'уменьшаться' is better for passive or natural processes. Be aware of formal vs. informal registers: use 'сокращать' in professional writing and 'уменьшаться' in everyday conversation. For the noun form, 'психотерапевт' is the most accurate translation and is preferred in medical contexts; avoid literal translations that might not convey the slang nuance. Grammar note: Verbs like these require agreement with subject gender and number in past tense.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'сокращать' interchangeably with 'уменьшать' without context, e.g., saying "Одежда сокращает" instead of "Одежда уменьшается." Correct: "Одежда уменьшается" for natural shrinking. Explanation: 'сокращать' implies intentional action, so it doesn't fit passive scenarios.
• Mistake: Forgetting reflexive particles, e.g., saying "Я сокращаюсь" when meaning "I am shrinking" (correct is "Я уменьшаюсь"). Explanation: Reflexive verbs like 'уменьшаться' must include '-ся' to indicate the action happens to the subject.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'сокращение' (shrinking) often carry economic connotations due to historical events like the post-Soviet economic crisis, where widespread job and budget cuts were common. As for 'психотерапевт,' mental health discussions have become more open in recent years, influenced by Western practices, but there's still a cultural stigma around seeking a "shrink," making it a sensitive topic.

Related Concepts:

• уменьшение
• сжатие
• психология